Between River and Sea

Between River and Sea focuses on life in and around Apalachicola, FL, where for over a century, an independent, group of oyster fishers have made their living drifting on the shallow waters of the Apalachicola Bay.

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Local kids in East Bay, FL after fishing on the bay.
An oysterman in East Bay waits for the few bags of oysters to come in before shucking them and sending them off to local restaurants.
T.J. Ward, son of Tommy Ward and grandson of Buddy Ward, is a 3rd generation oysterman. He works at Buddy Ward Seafood.
Apalachicola Bay
Tate's Hell State Forest in Florida
Kendall Shoelles, a 3rd generation oysterman, still hopes to rake oysters as long as the bay remains open. He's seen a drastic drop in oyster productivity in the last few years.
At Indian Pass Raw Bar, only steps from Apalachicola Bay, oysters from Virginia are served to local oystermen.
Tate's Hell State Forest in Florida
Owl Creek, a tributary of the Apalachicola River.
Two oystermen at dusk in East Bay, FL

Michael Hanson

Michael Hanson is an award-winning photojournalist based in Seattle, WA and was named PDN30 in 2013. His images have been published …

Topics
Traditional Culture
Sub Topics
Drought Fisheries
Regions
United States
Drought

About Between River and Sea

Between River and Sea focuses on life in and around Apalachicola, FL. For over a century, an independent, hand-built industry has drifted through the shallow waters of the Apalachicola Bay. This bay, one of the most productive and unique ecosystems in the country, once produced 10% of the nation’s oysters and 90% of Florida’s. Today, only a handful of oystermen have work and this community struggles to maintain its tradition and livelihood. Oysters need a mix of freshwater and saltwater.

They depend on this balance but the freshwater coming down the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) Basin has been drastically cut short by a series of dams and overuse in Georgia and Alabama. As droughts persist alongside a constant pressure from a major metropolitan city at the headwaters, the Apalachicola Bay clings to a trickle of water. The project aims to connect users throughout the watershed and expose what’s at the end of the river. It also aims to celebrate the bay and a lifestyle that revolves around the perfect mix of fresh and salt water.